Choices
by SgtPepper14
Summary: Anakin has to choose between the Jedi and Palptine.


Anakin Skywalker nervously stood before the Jedi Council. He had recently been appointed by Chancellor Palpatine to be his personal representative on the Jedi Council and he wasn't sure how the Council would react, especially Master Windu. Master Windu had always been skeptical of the so called Chosen One ever since Qui-Gon Jinn brought him before the Jedi Council thirteen years earlier, requesting that Anakin be trained as a Jedi. The Council originally decided that young Skywalker would not be trained, citing that the boy had too much anger and fear in him. It was only after Qui-Gon's death, that the council agreed that Anakin would be trained in the Jedi Arts.

Anakin had come a long way in thirteen years. From a slave on the desert world of Tatooine to a Jedi Knight. Now at age 23, Anakin was the youngest Jedi Council member ever and was hoping that by having a place on the council, he would earn the rank of master.

"Anakin, you're on this council, but we do not grant you the rank of the master," Mace Windu said plainly.

"What?" Anakin said as he noticed Obi-Wan glance the other way. "Master, with all due respect, I think I have earned the rank of master. In case you haven't heard, I'm known as the "hero without fear" and I've lead the Republic to countless victories in the Clone Wars. I didn't get promoted to the rank of Commander just because I'm a Jedi; I earned that rank with blood, sweat and hard work. I also took out Dooku," Anakin said angrily as he glared at Master Windu.

"We don't think that you are ready," Mace said.

"You're gravely mistaken Master," Anakin said as he stormed out of the room.

Anakin needed guidance, reassurance so he went to go find Chancellor Palpatine.

"What's wrong son?" Chancellor Palpatine asked as he watched Anakin pace like a caged animal.

"The council denied me the rank of master!" Anakin said angrily.

"The Jedi are foolish. They obviously don't care about the "hero without fear" and how you've mastered the force. They'll pay for this mistake…" Palpatine said as an evil smile formed on his face.

"Your Excellency?" Anakin asked, confused.

"Learn to know the dark side of the force and you will achieve a power greater then any Jedi! Anakin, I'm not who I seem. I'm actually Darth Sidious," Palpatine said calmly, knowing that Anakin would get defensive.

Anakin immediately raised his lightsaber and began slowly walking in circles around the Chancellor.

"Traitor!" Anakin said angrily. He felt betrayed by the man who had been like a father to him.

"Go ahead, strike me down with all your hatred, then your journey to the dark side will be complete!" Palpatine encouraged.

Anakin didn't say anything as he continued to walk in circles around Palpatine, lightsaber raised.

"Remember what you told me about the sand people? Your nightmare of Padme's death? The dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be un natural. That is the only way that you can save Padme," Palpatine said.

Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and walked out of the room.

"He'll be back," Palpatine thought to himself.

Anakin rushed back to the Jedi Temple and told the Council that Palpatine was Sidious.

"My suspicions were correct. Anakin, stay here at the Temple. We will deal with Palpatine, do I make myself clear?" Mace said.

"Yes master," Anakin said quietly.

Mace rounded up Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto and Saesee Tiin to go with him to arrest Palpatine.

"Master Ti, I command you to prepare for defense of the Temple in case of a retaliation attack," Mace said.

"Yes Master Windu," Shaak-Ti replied as she began preparing the Temple defense.

"I should have gone with Master Windu! He still doesn't trust me even after all I've accomplished. I don't fear Palpatine!" Anakin told Nej Retsof as he helped her prepare for her upcoming solo mission to the planet Alderaan. Nej was the 15 year old Jedi Padawan to Cin Drallig and she had blonde hair and blue eyes. Despite her young age, Nej was an extremely capable Jedi. In the last few days, Anakin had been tutoring Nej to help her prepare for her upcoming Jedi Trials.

"Master Windu did what he felt was right Anakin, I need to teach you some patience," Nej said giggling.

"Anyway, what do you think about my new lightsaber that I recently constructed? I modeled it after yours," Nej said, smiling brightly at Anakin.

"Thanks Nej, you're like my little sister. I forsee you will become a great Jedi knight," Anakin said as he hugged Nej.

Suddenly Anakin felt a great disturbance in the force. He drives a speeder in the pouring rain to the office of the Supreme Chancellor and as he looks in the window, he sees Kit Fisto's head staring right at him.

"I do not fear…" the young Jedi says as he walks inside. There he finds the bodies of Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin on the floor.

Anakin suddenly hears the sound of lightsaber clashing. As he enters Palpatine's office, he lurks in the shadows as he watches Palpatine and Mace Windu engage in a heated lightsaber duel.

Anakin then steps out from the shadows and is immediately addressed by Palpatine.

"You see son, didn't I warn you about the Jedi and their betraying of the Republic?"

Just as Anakin was about to respond, Palpatine directs force lighting at Windu who blocks it with his lightsaber. Palpatine's face transforms into a wrinkly old man.

"Anakin, give in to your hate and destroy this Jedi traitor!" Palpatine told the confused Jedi.

"Don't listen to him Anakin, you must do what is right, kill this Sith and fulfill your destiny as the Chosen One!" Mace said as he put his hand on Anakin's shoulder.

Palpatine suddenly collapses on the floor and starts begging for his life. Mace doesn't believe one word and goes in for the kill when Anakin intervenes.

"Wait Master! You can't just go ahead and kill him," Anakin said pleadingly.

"Yes I can, he just murdered 3 Jedi! He's too dangerous to be left alive," Mace said, glaring at Palpatine.

"I need him though! He's my only chance to save Padme!" Anakin said, his blood boiling.

"Go back to the temple young one," Mace said as he raised his purple lightsaber to finish off the Sith Lord.

"Don't make me destroy you Master Windu," Anakin said as he ignited his blue-bladed lightsaber.

As Anakin was about to attack Mace, Palpatine suddenly shot up and fired force lightning at Mace, causing the Jedi to fall to the ground.

"Now Master Jedi…you will die," Palpatine said as he continued shooting force lighting into Mace.

"Anakin…please help me!" Mace called out in agony.

"Finish him off, show him who the most powerful Jedi in the Universe is!" Palpatine commanded.

Anakin looked at Mace, who laid helpless and defenseless on the ground. Then Anakin looked at Palpatine, who was urging him to finish off the weakened Jedi Master.

"I'm deeply sorry Master…" Anakin said quietly as he twirled his lightsaber and rammed it into Mace's chest.

"Good, your hate has made you powerful! Your journey to the darkside is now complete! You are no longer Anakin Skywalker, you will now be known as Darth Vader," Palpatine said as Anakin kneeled before him.

"What is thy bidding my master?" Vader asked.

"Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Republic. Go to the Jedi Temple and kill all the remaining Jedi. Do what must be done, do not hesitate, show no mercy," Palpatine said with an evil smile.

Darth Vader took the 501st legion of Clone Troopers with him to the Jedi Temple.

"I sure hope Nej isn't at the temple. I don't want to have to kill her, perhaps if she could be turned, she could become a powerful ally," Vader thought to himself as his hand rested on his lightsaber.

"Captain, surround the Jedi Temple. Make sure nobody escapes," Vader said as they arrived at the Temple.

"Yes Lord Vader," the Clone Trooper Captain replied as he positioned his troops around the Temple.

Nej Retsof smiled as she looked at a framed picture that hung on the wall in her quarters. The picture was of her and Anakin on Nej's 13th birthday. Anakin's present to the girl on that special day had been a handmade japor pendant with Nej's initials on it. Anakin had spent weeks carving and perfecting it until it was exactly the way he wanted it. Nej's was scheduled to leave for her mission to Alderaan in a couple of days and she was scared because she had never traveled before on her own. She always had been with her master Cin Drallig or on occasion she had accompanied Anakin on a few of his missions.

"I am so scared, I'll be all alone…" Nej thought quietly to herself as she touched the pendant as it hung around her neck.

"Hopefully Padme Skywalker is still going to be on Coruscant before I have to leave, I need somebody to talk to and she is the only girl that I can confide in, the rest are Jedi out fighting in the war and wouldn't understand," Nej thought. Nej was the only Jedi that knew of the marriage between Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker. It meant a lot to Nej that Anakin thought that highly of her to confide in her his biggest secret.

Suddenly Nej sensed a great disturbance in the force. Her feelings told her that something terrible was about to happen to the Jedi Temple. Always a quick thinker, Nej opened her window and jumped to the ground and went to go find Padme Skywalker.

When Anakin got inside the Jedi Temple with his clone troopers, he saw the place full of life. He quietly took out his lightsaber and moved forward without hesitation. He approached the Jedi Archives Director, Jocasta Nu who greeted Anakin warmly.

"Hello young Skywalker, how may I be of assistance?" Jocasta asked as she smiled at Anakin.

Anakin didn't answer as he quickly impaled the aging Jedi. "Stupid old woman," Anakin thought to himself as he motioned the clone troopers to follow.

"Captain, round up the Jedi younglings and bring them to the Jedi Council Chamber, I will deal them personally," Anakin said cold heartedly. The purge on the Jedi Temple had begun.

Padme Skywalker sat in a chair outside of her and Anakin's apartment, observing the buzz of life that took place outside the residence. Suddenly she saw a young Jedi girl approaching her.

"Hello Nej, what brings you here today?" Padme asked, smiling at the girl.

"Hi Padme, I came here because I wanted to speak with you…woman to woman," said Nej quietly.

"Ok, well let's go inside and have something to drink and we'll talk," Padme said as she rubbed her belly. Padme was 9 months pregnant with her and Anakin's child, and was expecting to go into labor with in a week or so.

"So what's troubling you Nej?" Padme asked as she poured 2 glasses of blue milk.

"Well, in a few weeks, I'm going to be going on my first ever solo mission. I'm going to a planet called Alderaan to settle a dispute there between the locals and well I'm just scared because I'm never traveled before on my own. I've always been with Master Drallig or I traveled with Anakin on a few of his missions," Nej said as she drank her milk.

"Wow, the Jedi Council is letting a 15 year old Jedi, a Padawan learner none the less travel alone?" Padme said, shocked.

"Yeah well the Council thinks very highly of me. Master Obi-Wan says that I am wise beyond my years and that I have the ability to become a powerful Jedi," Nej said blushing, not wanting to brag.

"Well that's good that the Council trusts you, you'll be fine, just do your duty and before you know it, you'll be back!" Padme said as she finished her drink.

"Thanks Padme, you've made me feel a lot better about the situation. You are a great friend, Anakin better treat you good or else he'll be hearing from me," Nej said giggling.

"If Ani doesn't treat me good, he'll be hearing from the both of us," Padme said winking at the young girl.

"Just think, in a few weeks, you'll be a mother! Can I come over and see them after my trip?" Nej asked, hopefully.

"Of course! Anakin is really excited, of course, he wants to have a son so that he can train him to be a Jedi," Padme said laughing.

"Haha, well Padme, I've got to get back to the Temple, thanks again for the talk and may the force be with you" Nej said as she headed for the door.

"No problem and you are welcome here anytime if you need to talk or just want to hang out," Padme said.

"Thanks, tell Anakin hi for me," Nej said as she left the Skywalker residence.

"Nej is such a sweet girl; she really will make a great Jedi knight someday…" Padme thought as she cleaned the glasses off of the kitchen table.

Anakin Skywalker watched as smoke from the burning Jedi Temple rose. Although he had carried out Palpatine's order without hesitation, he still felt a little remorse as he couldn't shake the images of betrayal on the Jedi's faces as he swiftly dispensed of them like battle droids. Anakin was very disappointed when he found out that Nej had left the temple. He had hoped to take the girl with him, and show her the true nature of the force. Suddenly, Anakin heard his comlink buzz, it was Palpatine.

"Excellent Lord Vader, everything is going as I have foreseen," Palpatine said.

"I have a new mission for you, my young apprentice, go to the planet of Mustafar and destroy the remaining Separatists leaders, there will be no one to stop you, Obi-Wan Kenobi has been killed by General Grievous, too bad, I was hoping you would destroy him yourself," Palpatine said laughing.

"Yes my master," Vader replied calmly before shutting off his comlink. Before going to the lava planet however, he made it a priority to see his beautiful wife.

"Anakin! Where have you been?" Padme asked as Anakin entered their apartment.

"Jedi business…" Anakin replied as the two forbidden lovers hugged.

"Nej came by earlier, she wanted me to tell you hi. She's really nervous about her mission to Alderaan. Did you see her at the Temple?" Padme asked innocently.

"No she must have esca….I mean left the temple before I got there," Anakin said, causing Padme to give him a weird look.

"Chancellor Palpatine has given me a new assignment, he wants me to go to Mustafar and destroy the remaining Separatist leaders, and then the war will be won!" Anakin said proudly.

"I hope so; this war has caused enough death and destruction already. How come Obi-Wan isn't going with you? You two work so well together," Padme said, flashing Anakin a smile.

"Master Obi-Wan is dead; he died at the hands of General Grievous…." Anakin said quickly, not showing any emotion.

Padme remained silent as she noted the look on Anakin's face. It didn't seem like Anakin really cared that his former Master had just died. "If I was Obi-Wan's apprentice and he died, I'd bawl my eyes out," Padme thought.

"I've got to go," Anakin said heading for the door.

"Come back safe my love," Padme said as she watched Anakin leave.

Nej Retsof slowly made her way through the charred remains of the Jedi Temple, the sight was horrifying. There were bodies everywhere. Nej had to watch her step everywhere she went as she did not want to step on any of the bodies. As Nej was about to walk past Master Yoda's personal room, she heard voices. Quietly she went inside. The voices were that of Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Who could have done this?" Obi-Wan asked as the two Jedi watched a hologram of Jedi being cut down like battle droids.

"Twisted by the dark side young Skywalker has become," Yoda said quietly as the image now showed Anakin kneeling before Darth Sidious.

_"Every single Jedi, including your best friend Obi-Wan Kenobi is now an enemy of the Republic. You must destroy the remaining Jedi. Go to the Temple and kill all the Jedi that are there. After that, destroy the remaining Separatists leader in their secret bunker on Mustafar. After that is done, the Sith will rule the galaxy once again."_

_"Yes my master."_

Nej couldn't hold it in any longer, tears started to roll down her cheeks as she ran to Obi-Wan and Yoda. The two Jedi could hardly believe their eyes, they thought that Nej had died in the Temple Raid.

"Masters, this is all just a dream right?" Nej said quietly.

"No young Nej, a dream this is not. You and Master Obi-Wan will go to Mustafar and try and redeem young Skywalker, if that fails, destroy him you must," Yoda said as he looked outside.

"I…I don't know if I can do this Master, I mean Anakin's like my older brother, I….I look up to him!" Nej said trembling as her hand rested on her lightsaber.

"I know how you feel Nej, Anakin is like a brother to me, but we shall do as we must," Obi-Wan said, trying hard not to fight his emotions.

Trying hard to control the emotions, the 2 Jedi boarded their Jedi Star fighters and headed for the lava planet of Mustafar.

When Nej and Obi-Wan arrived at Mustafar, they were immediately met by Anakin.

Anakin looked the two Jedi over and decided that Nej wasn't going to do anything so he turned his attention to his former master. "I've been waiting for you Obi-Wan."

"Look at all of the destruction you have caused Anakin!" Obi-Wan started to say but was interrupted.

"That name no longer has any meaning for me," Anakin hissed as he force choked Obi-Wan and made him unconscious.

"All too easy," Anakin thought to himself as his attention turned to Nej.

"It is the name of your true self, you have only forgotten Anakin!" Nej cried out as she took out her lightsaber and ignited it, her blue blade glowing.

Anakin looked at Nej for a moment and just then, Nej thought that she saw a tear running down his cheek. Suddenly Anakin caught the young Jedi off guard and attacked. Lightsabers clashed and hissed as Anakin and Nej were surrounded by lava engaged in an intense lightsaber battle. Suprisingly, Nej was holding her own aganist the so called Chosen One.

"What would your mother think of you? What about Padme? Do you know Anakin, that pretty soon you are going to be a father to twins?" Nej said in between lightsaber exchanges.

"Mom... mom wouldn't want this. She... she'd ground me for life if she found out what I have done, I have betrayed her, Qui-Gon and the Jedi," Anakin said more to himself then to Nej. "I'm going to be a father of twins... what do you know? Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master and proud father of twins!" Anakin said proudly.

"Anakin please come back, it's not too late," Nej pleaded.

"I...I'm so sorry Nej. I... I don't know what came into me. I'm sorry," Anakin said as he started crying.

"It's ok Anakin, now let's go see if Obi-Wan's all right," Nej said as she comforted Anakin.

Anakin and Nej rushed over to Obi-Wan who lay on the floor.

"I'm deeply sorry Master, please respond to me or you'll fall into a nest of Gundarks again…." Anakin said chuckling to himself.

"Not the Gundarks!" Obi-Wan said as he opened his eyes to see Anakin and Nej by his side.

"He'll be alright, it's just that Master Obi-Wan still has nightmares about falling into that nest of Gundarks," Anakin told Nej as he winked at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan just rolled his eyes. "Why did you have to bring that up?"

"Just because…" Anakin said winking at Obi-Wan once more.

Then the 3 Jedi looked up at the sky and saw a ship heading their way.

"It's Palpatine," Anakin told them.

"I have a bad feeling about this…." Nej stated quietly.

When Palpatine's ship landed, he was expecting to be met by his apprentice. Instead he was met by Anakin, Obi-Wan and Nej. Their 3 blue lightsabers ignited and ready to do battle.

"What's this Lord Vader? Couldn't have the nerve to destroy your best friend and this little girl?" Palpatine asked in a disgusted tone.

"You failed your highness, I am a Jedi," Anakin said as he beamed with pride.

"So be it Jedi, you know it's too bad you betrayed me because I brought something for you to see," Palpatine said as he disappeared into his ship and then reappeared with a hologram.

"Go ahead play it, I think you'll rather enjoy this," Palpatine said laughing.

Anakin played the hologram and to his horror it was Obi-Wan talking to his Padme!

"My lady, Anakin has been seduced by the dark side of the force."

"How…how can that be true? Obi-Wan there is still good in him, I can feel it." 

"Yes I sense there is still good in him as well, Nej and I are going to track him down and try to get him to come back." 

After the hologram stopped playing, Palpatine spoke up.  
"Oh there's more Lord Vader, Padme is dead. What you didn't see was Obi-Wan striking down Padme! He was jealous of your feelings for her!"

Anakin exploded as he felt the anger starting to boil as he turned to face Obi-Wan.

"You!"

"Anakin, you know that I don't have any feelings for Padme and you know I wouldn't kill her let alone hurt her," Obi-Wan stated calmly. 

Anakin just ignored him as the hate continued to rise. "I should have known you were jealous that I had Padme and you didn't. You've always been jealous of me. I'm more powerful then you and you can't handle that."

Obi-Wan started to reply but then he felt Anakin's cold mechanical hand around his neck Anakin waited until Obi-Wan was unconscious and then twirled his lightsaber above his head and said emotionally, "You were like a father figure to me." Then Anakin rammed his lightsaber into Obi-Wan's chest and all the motion in his body stopped completely.

"NOOOOO!" Nej screamed as tears began to flow as she started to run towards the fallen Obi-Wan. Just before she got to the fallen Jedi, Palpatine grabbed her and an evil smile formed on his face.

"You my young Jedi, are coming with us."

Nej couldn't stop crying as she sat in her celler aboard Palpatine's starship. Her hands and feet were tied and there was no way to escape.

"How could you Anakin? How could you?" Nej yelled out. The only response was that of water dripping from the ceiling.

Up on the main level of the ship, Anakin and Palpatine were discussing what would happen to Nej.

"What is to become of the girl Master?" Anakin asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"She will be executed as soon as we land," Palpatine said cold heartdly.

"If she could be turned...she could become a powerful ally," Anakin said.

"Yes...can it be done?" Palpatine asked as he stroked his wrinkly chin.

"She will join us or die my master," Anakin said as he kneeled before his master.

"I need to hurry up, Anakin and Palps will be here soon to check up on me," Nej said as she used the force to undo the rope that bound her hands and feet. Once she was free, Nej went over to the table and picked up her lightsaber and put it back on her belt, she had the feeling that she would need it soon. Nej then opened the window and jumped out.

As soon as Nej's feet landed on the ground however she was met by Palpatine

"Going somewhere little one?" Palpatine asked as he took Nej by the hair.

Nej didn't respond, instead she reached out to the force and got away from Palpatine.

"Brave but foolish Nej," Palpatine said as 20 Clone Troopers appeared and aimed their blasters at Nej.

Nej wasted no time and began to chop down the clone troopers with lighting quick speed. Her motions were a blur of blue light.

"Well done my young Jedi, now let's see how you do against a master," Palpatine said laughing.

Nej took a defensive stance as she watched Palpatine ignite his red bladed lightsaber.

Palpatine attacked the 15 year old Jedi right away and it became apparent that Nej was severally overmatched. Within minutes, Palpatine had knocked Nej's lightsaber out of her hand and with 2 quick strokes, injured her arm and leg. Nej fell to the ground, defenseless and tears starting to fall down her cheeks.

Just as Palpatine was about to deliver the death blow, he was surprised when he saw a blue lightsaber blade cut off his red blade just as he was about to make his final blow.

"You can't kill Nej Master! She's like my kid sister!" Vader said as flashes of Anakin Skywalker began creeping back into him.

Palpatine just smiled. "Get out of my way or else you will be killed along with your little Jedi friend."

"NOOOOOO" Anakin yelled as he ignited his lightsaber and attacked Palpatine, catching him off guard.

The two engaged in a heated lightsaber battle with Anakin gaining the upper edge. The hate boiled in every inch of Anakin's body as he repeatedly forced Palpatine to retreat again and again as the two were coming up on an edge of a cliff.

Nej tried to get up to go help Anakin but the intense pain in her arm and leg were too much for the girl. Calmly she reached out to the force and called for the Jedi healing technique. Within a few minutes, Nej was up on her feet and found her lightsaber. Her arm and knee was still a little sore but a she couldn't let that get in her way. She spotted Anakin and Palpatine battling near the edge of a cliff with nothing but hot lava beneath them.

"Anakin is going to need my help, I can sense it," Nej thought as she hurried to join the fight.

Anakin heard footsteps behind him and quickly turned his head to see who it was. Seeing Anakin distracted, Palpatine quickly gained the upper hand and sliced Anakin's right hand off cleanly. Anakin winced in pain as he tried to crawl away from Palpatine.

"Now you will die," Palpatine said as he force threw Anakin off the edge of the cliff and then turned his attention to Nej. What Palpatine didn't know is that Anakin's mechanical hand just barely caught the edge and was hanging on for dear life.

Nej stayed calm as she ignited her lightsaber and glanced a long cold stare at Palpatine. "You're going to pay for all this destruction you have caused Palpatine!"

"I don't think so my young Jedi," Palpatine said as he leaped at the girl and attacked.

Nej successfully ducked out of the way just in time and was facing Palpatine's back. The girl wasted no time as she slashed her lightsaber across Palpatine's back causing him to turn around where Nej sliced off his lightsaber hand. Palpatine then fell to his knees.

"Please my young Jedi, let me live. Let me show you the true nature of the force. The dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural, I killed 4 Jedi Masters, including the all powerful Mace Windu. Join me!"

"You didn't think that that would actually work did you Palps? You were defeated by a 15 year old Padawan Learner," Nej said winking at Palpatine just before she ran her lightsaber through his chest.

"Nej help me! I'm slipping!" Anakin said as he tried to climb to safety.

Nej reached out to the force and tried to pull Anakin up but she was too weak. "Anakin, I don't have enough strength, What should I do?"

"Go get your starfighter and land below me, open the hatch and let me fall in, hurry!" Anakin said as Nej stood above him, hoping that there would be enough time. Then all of a sudden the edge of the cliff collapsed and Anakin screamed, "NEJ!" Anakin Skywalker perished into the lava.

"Anakin!" Nej cried out as she watched her best friend perish and then picked up Anakin's lightsaber before walking away.

"I wasn't strong enough to save you Anakin, but I promise I won't fail you again, you were my best friend and I looked up to you in every way, I loved you like you were my older brother, I won't fail you Anakin Skywalker," Nej said to herself as she made her way to her Jedi starfighter.


End file.
